Beaver Lake Recreation Area

In mid-July, we stopped in at the Beaver Lake Recreation Area, just east of Burnstick Lake. We'd initially thought about paddling Burnstick but, after a week of paddling, our arms were too tired so we opted for the smaller lake.

This is basically a fishing lake (electric motors only) that is stocked with trout. It was very poorly signed from the highway. There is good parking, a 25-foot carry, pit toilets (not great, to be honest) and cell coverage. It was a beach launch into so-so water.

The lake is not big but it winds, so there is lots of see.

We ran across a loon family who were very annoyed to see us.

The lake was quite clear in places and weedy in others.

The southern basin of the lake was nice enough and the sun finally came out here.

As we were paddling back through the narrows, my wife asked, what's that swimming? I thought muskrat, at first.

As we got closer, it turned out to be a red squirrel, crossing the narrows. We followed it to the edge of the lake where it climbed up and up a tree and chittered its annoyance at us. I've never seen a squirrel swimming before!

Overall,  so-so lake that I probably would not go back to. I'd say it was good if you liked to fish and there were 10 boats out doing just that. 

Bow Lake

In July, we paddled Bow Lake, up the Icefields parkway from Lake Louise. We parked at the north end of the lake by the Lodge. This has pit toilets and about a 300-foot carry to the water. Parking was gonzo on the Sunday we were there. I'll point out a better access option below.

An easy gravel beach entry and then we went right into the western basin.

The view the whole trip were just incredible. The pictures don't do it justice.

As the western edge of the basin there is a delta where a stream from the Bow glacier dumps out. Lots of people were out hiking here and there is a path along the north side of the lake.

The wind started to come up a bit so we paddled across the lake to the eastern edge. The picture below shows the Bow Lake Viewpoint on the Icefields Parkway. You can park here and lower your boats down the steep bank. 

From here, you can also take a road down to the water where there is a day-use area with tables, pit toilets, and great beach access (see image below). If we went back, I would launch from here.

We worked our way down the lake until our arms got tired and then turned around. We did not get into the second basin on the south end. Maybe next time!

Overall, one of the nicest paddles around Banff and bigger than Moraine Lake, Emerald Lake, or Lake Louise. I would definitely go back. Nearby there is also Peyto, Hector, Herbert, and Waterfowl Lakes

Columbia Lake to the headwaters of the Columbia River, BC

Back in July, we were in southeastern BC and paddled across the south end of Columbia Lake to work out way up to the headwaters of the Columbia River. We put in at the Tilly Memorial Park (yellow arrows) in Canal Flats. We then padded across the lake and up the river/stream in the lower left corner to the head waters (blue arrow). If it was a windy day, you could also get in at the orange arrow.

Tilly Memorial Park is a municipal site and charges $5 a head for access. There are flush toilets, a change room, picnic tables and a roped swimming area off what looked like a gravel beach. There is also a boat launch and a dock and lots of parking.

We had an easy gravel beach launch. The fellow at the kiosk recommended we with go up the east side of the lake, staying close to shore because the wind can be sudden and big, or paddle across the southern end of the lake and find the head waters of the Columbia River. We chose the latter.

It was 2.5 or 3km across the lake. The water was crystal clear and the water was 4- to 9-feet deep. There were lots of fish. There were no power boats to speak of here--they headed up the lake.

As we approached the river mouth, things got shallower and the main channel was obvious.

The river got narrower and shallower as we worked our way up.

Periodically, though, there would be a deep hole with blue water and a silty bottom.

Down in the silt, you could see springs bubbling up. It was a very cool paddle, reminding me a bit of Yellowstone.

Eventually, we go to and under the bridge and managed to pole and bum-scoot our way up the stream other 250 feet. 

We finally abandoned the boats and walked the last 50 feet. The water was insanely cold!

The headwaters were nothing special but it was a pretty interesting paddle.

Overall, I probably wouldn't do this again, but it was very fun to do once and the lake itself was beautiful.

Premier Lake, BC

In early July, we paddled Premier Lake, just south of Canal Flats in southeastern BC. Access is a short and easy drive off the highway, mostly on paved roads, to the provincial park on the south end of the lake.

There is a nice boat launch, with pit toilets, picnic tables, lots of parking, and a small enclosed swim area. You can beach launch but the easiest access was off the boat launch. There is also a large floating dock that encloses a protected swim area. 

The lake runs north-south and we went left (clockwise). There is some kind of fish ladder (?) that accesses a creek. We immediately ran into an osprey harassing an immature eagle.

The shoreline on the west side of the lake varies from very steep to cliffs. The water is clear and a lovely green.

There are interesting underwater cliff faces to watch and lots of fish jumping. There are power boats on the lake but there is a speed restriction in the southern third.

The lake was dead calm the day we were there. I imagine in a blow it would be much dicier.

The only real place to get out on the west side of the lake is this boat launch. The road in is listed as 4x4s only (which is why we went to the provincial park). It didn't look that bad but we didn't go down it.

There are some neat things in the water, like this deadhead that is almost entirely submerged. There is also a sunken boat on the west side.

The water was so still, I could do reflections of the clouds.

At the northern end, there are number of private homes and no public access that I could see. Plus a cool island!

We caome back on the east side, which has a gentler slope (so you can get out a bit), more private cabins, and lots of fish.

There's another sunken boat on the east side and we saw a mature eagle fishing.

Premier Lake was very pretty and well worth the trip. The only real hazard on the road in was free-range cattle. A herd had seized one of the bridges and we had to wait for then to move.

Athalmer Wetlands, Invermere

In early July, we spent about 90 minutes paddling the Athalmer Wetlands, just upstream of Invermere, BC. This is a channel of the Columbia River that meanders a bit. Access was right in town (yellow arrow), with the wetlands spreading out to the north of the screen cap below.

Access is right below the Columbia River Bridge as you had into downtown Invermere. There is a sandy boat launch with parking. Go left (downstream) from the boat launch. There is a current but it was negligible (a 10-year-old could handle it). If you go right (i.e., paddle under the bridge), it takes you out into Windermere Lake, which is pretty big and has lots of boat traffic.

The paddle is basically this on the right side and reeds on the left unit it opens up into a larger pond.

There was lots of wildlife to look at, including fish. There are motorized boats allowed here but strict speed rules and we only saw paddle boards and kayaks and one fishing boat with an electric motor.

There were some nesting eagles, with chicks in the nest.

There were also osprey, herons, ducks, and red-winged black birds.

The wetlands does eventually dump into the Columbia River proper, which is faster moving. There was, very helpfully, this sign telling us when to turn back.

The water was super clear and the bottom was weedy and interesting.

This was a nice 90-minute paddle that could be paired with a walk through the shops in Invermere or some time on the two public beaches (both kind of meh). We drive south and hike the hoodoos at Fairmont and then on to paddle the Columbia Lake up to the headwaters of the Columbia.